As for Muslim, the reference number they have written down (1709) is even more astonishing than the preceding one, for its beginning in Muslim (6/127) reads:

“Pledge allegiance to me that you will not associate anything with Allah, nor commit adultery ...” (1)

This is another hadith from Ubadah, transmitted from him through a different route, and it does not contain even a single sentence found in the hadith under discussion. What, then, can a sincere critic say about the likes of these ignorant people who make a trade of their ignorance? Had they been scholars and traded in their knowledge, they would have benefited people while harming themselves. But as for these men, they have gone astray and led others astray. We seek refuge in Allah from all of them.

This hadith also contains many benefits and juristic issues, which the scholars have discussed in their commentaries, especially the hadith master Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani in Fath al-Bari.

What concerns me here is that it contains an explicit refutation of the Khawarij, who rebelled against the Commander of the Believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him. For they knew, beyond any doubt or uncertainty, that they had not seen any manifest disbelief on his part; yet they deemed it lawful to fight him and shed his blood, as well as that of the Companions and Successors who were with him. He was therefore compelled to fight them and eradicate them, so that only a few of them survived. Then they treacherously assassinated him, as is well known in historical accounts.

The point is that they instituted an evil precedent in Islam and made rebellion against Muslim rulers into a religion throughout the ages, despite the Prophet’s many warnings against them, including his saying, peace and blessings be upon him:

“The Khawarij are the dogs of Hellfire.” (2)